To Protect the Fairy Queen's Heart
by Kirihara-sama
Summary: Erza and Natsu follow Master to the Council meeting. And Erza meets an old friend of hers but he's going to die? XD


Hi, another new story. It's a one-shot.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters XD

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><p><strong><span>To Protect the Fairy Queen's Heart<span>**

"Natsu, Erza, the both of you will be accompanying me to the next council meeting," Master Makarov informed them as soon as he read the letter.

"Yes, Master," Erza agreed quickly even before asking him the reason for the meeting.

"What is it for, Gramps?" Natsu asked him with his stupid face on while he scratched his head.

"You'll know when we get there," Makarov just replied with a serious look on his face.

"I wonder what the letter was about. I've never seen the Master this serious before," Mira whispered to Fried who nodded in agreement.

"What happened, Gramps? I'm sure the Flame Brain didn't do that much damage in his last mission, did he? I thought he went with Erza," Gray entered the conversation.

"It's not about the damages during the mission this time, Gray. Natsu, Erza go and pack I'll see you here tomorrow morning," the Master told them and turned to walk back into his office.

Mira and Fried followed him into his office. Those two were one of Makarov's most patient and strongest wizards in the guild. Makarov had confided a lot of things in them as he was planning to retire soon.

"What's wrong, Master?" Mira asked him, curiously.

"Nothing, I just received a letter from the Council about one of their prisoners," Makarov showed them both the letter and explained the situation to them.

"Yes, Master, we'll talk and explain things to the guild as soon as possible," Mira told the Master.

"Can I ask you something, Master?" Fried asked him.

"Yes, what do you want to know, Fried?" he faced Fried and replied to him.

"Why are you bringing Natsu? Wouldn't Gray be able to help Erza? He understands things faster than Natsu," Fried asked the Master his question.

Makarov smiled at Fried as Mira just shook her head at his lack of observance.

"Erza is much closer to Natsu than to Gray or the rest of the guild for that matter. May be it's because she believes that Natsu will one day be stronger than her or because he saved her many times or it might be for some other reasons that we do not know," Master Makarov replied to Fried, smiling slightly.

Fried just nodded and Mira smiled at him, "I've been trying to pair those two up since a long time ago, Fried. I can't believe you haven't noticed that."

"I have not been in the guild until a few months ago when Laxus –" Fried answered her with a straight face when Makarov interrupted him.

"Right, now both of you keep the guild in order while we're away," Master told them as he ushered them out of his office and shut the door.

**~The next day~**

"Natsu, wake up!" Erza shouted from outside his house.

**-Half an hour ago-**

She had woken up early to make sure that they left the guild so that they could reach the Council meeting on time. When she reached the guild she saw that the Master had dozed off while waiting her Natsu and herself. When Mirajane saw Erza, she woke the Master up.

"Erza, you're here already?" Master asked her, still half asleep.

"Yes, Master. Do you need me to see if Natsu is ready yet?" Erza asked him.

"Yes, would you please bring him back here quickly? We have to leave soon," Makarov replied to Erza, thinking that he could get a few more minutes of sleep before they had to leave for the meeting.

Nodding, Erza walked out the guild and made her way to Natsu's house.

**-Now-**

"Natsu! Wake up!" Erza shouted loudly, again.

Still there was no noise from inside the house. In his room, Natsu just turned over in bed and fell asleep once again. Erza was losing her patience and was on the verge of breaking down his house door so that she could drag him back to the guild.

"Natsu!" Erza screamed once again, before breaking down his door with a punch and entering the messy house.

"Eh…Erza! I'm awake!" he screamed out as he work up and got out his bed.

He never thought that Erza would come to wake him up. If he had slept longer, she would have beaten him awake. He ran towards the door, banging on to Erza on his way.

"E-e-erza," Natsu stammered.

"Get ready the Master wants us at the guild now," Erza told him quickly.

"Why is that meeting so important anyway?" Natsu mumbled as he got ready.

"Did you say something, Natsu?" Erza glared at him.

"N-n-no, Erza," he shivered and replied.

As soon as he got ready Erza grabbed him by the back of his scarf, dragging him to the guild, saying, "Come on, the Master will be waiting."

When they reached the guild, Erza slammed open the door, saying, "Master we are ready to leave now."

Everyone stared at her as she dropped Natsu mercilessly onto the hard floor. Erza walked up to the bar counter where Makarov was seated and saw that he was asleep.

"Master, Erza is back," Mira's soft voice woke Makarov up.

He opened his eyes to see a very quiet guild and Natsu still lying on the floor. He turned his head to see Erza standing by him.

"Erza, what brings you here at this time?" Makarov asked her.

"Master, you told Erza to bring Natsu to the guild," Mira answered as she passed Levy a drink.

"Hmm…so it seems," Makarov said as his eyes turned back to Natsu lying on the floor, rubbed his chin and asked Erza, "You didn't wake him up?"

"What?" Erza exclaimed in shock and turned around to see Natsu sleeping on the floor where she dropped him a few minutes ago.

"Natsu…!" she called out as she walked towards him, a black aura surrounding her.

She did not like to fail in anything that she did. How did Natsu dare to fall asleep after Erza herself woke him up? No one knew the answer to that question. The rest of the guild huddled together in one corner when they felt her aura, with the exception of a few others of course.

"Natsu…" Erza growled but Natsu just continued to sleep.

When he did not move Erza brought up her fist to punch Natsu in the stomach. She punched him and did not notice that the guild door was opened with Gray and Lucy entering the guild. Lucy stood in shock for a moment as Erza continued to punch Natsu while Gray sauntered up to the bar.

"Lucy lied to Juvia. You are Juvia's love rival," Juvia walked forward and told Lucy calmly.

Lucy sweat-dropped and tried to explain what happened to Juvia.

"Why haven't you left yet, Gramps?" Gray asked Makarov.

Before the Master could answer, Erza grabbed the both of them and quickly left the guild. Master Makarov led them to New Era where the Fiore Branch of the Magic Council was.

**~In the Magic Council~**

In the Magic Council, everyone was seating in their seats when Master Makarov and his new guild members arrived. They three mages walked to their seats quickly and sat down to hear what the meeting was about.

"Late as usual, Makarov," the Blue Pegasus' Master, Bob commented.

"We had to drag Natsu along," Makarov replied that as his excuse and Bob nodded.

The Council leader looked around and everyone fell silent.

"Bring in the convict," his voice echoed around the room.

One of the Rune Knights brought in the blue-haired ex-council member, Jellal Fernandez.

"J-jellal?" Erza stuttered, slightly as her voice shook as she finally understood what this meeting was about.

It was the trial of Jellal Fernandez.

As if he heard her, Jellal looked up from the floor and straight into her eyes. He exhaled the breath he did not know he had been holding. He was afraid to die before seeing Erza one last time.

"Eh? Jellal?" Natsu said loudly as he suddenly paid attention to what was happening around him.

"Yes, it's his trial today. I think that's why Master brought us here," Erza whispered to him as she banged his head.

"Oh," Natsu said stupidly.

As the trial went on, Natsu and Erza did not speak to one another. Erza was too busy watching the trial. She had already guessed what the sentence would be and tears were falling from her eyes. As the silent tears fell from her eyes, Natsu stared at her knowing that she'll be needed to be comforted but unsure of what to do.

The two of them sat in their seats; one watching the trial of the one he loved and the other one watching his fellow mage who would probably never know that he loved her.

"I hereby announce that the ex-council member, Jellal Fernandez has been sentenced to death for all the crimes he had committed in the past," the Council Leader announced loudly, looking straight at Jellal who just stared back emotionlessly.

"No! You can't do this. He helped us. He helped us defeat Oracion Seis and the Nirvana. Jellal's a good guy, you can't just kill him!" Natsu jumped up and shouted at the Council Leader as Erza just stared at him in shock.

Jellal looked at Erza as she turned back to him. He silently begged her to make Natsu shut up so that he could go and atone for his mistakes. Erza stared at him but nodded, clearly understanding what he wanted to do.

"Sayonara, Jellal," she repeated his final words from a few months ago.

"Sayonara…Erza," he whispered but Erza heard it loud and clear.

She wiped her tears away and pulled Natsu's arm so hard that he fell back into his seat.

"Shut up, Natsu. You can't interfere with the Council's rules," she told him.

"Erza…but you're crying again," Natsu answered back as he turned around.

"It's okay. It's what Jellal wants so…let's just leave it, okay?" Erza whispered to him, her voice close to cracking.

"For you, Erza," he answered her question.

Natsu was shocked that Erza was still holding his hand but he allowed it, knowing that in a few days she'll be back to the same Erza who would never allow this again. That Erza would never allow the both of them to have any kind of relationship.

"We're sorry for the trouble here. Please go on…" Erza said as her voice hardened at the end.

The Council Leader merely nodded and continued to order the Rune Knights to escort Jellal out of the room. Erza and Natsu followed the rest to the courtyard where they was a big platform about three feet above the ground. The Rune Knights directed Jellal to climb up the steps to platform and made him stand on the trap door.

Then, the Captain talked to him, "Do you have anyone you want to speak to before you get," he gestured to the rope above him.

"Yes, can I talk to Erza Scarlet?" he asked the Captain.

"Go on," the Captain replied as he swept his arm towards the crowd.

Jellal eyes searched the crowd for the scarlet-haired Fairy Queen. Her scarlet hair stood out from the rest of the crowd. Her shining metal armor glinted in the evening sun rays which made her look like the undefeatable, strong Fairy mage she was. But there was something there that was not supposed to be on her…

Her tears.

Jellal opened his mouth but the words he wanted to say would not come out. Somehow, he could not say that words that he very much wanted her to know before he left her.

"Is there something you want to tell her?" the Captain asked him again.

Jellal nodded, "One second, I have no idea how I'm going to say this."

The Captain nodded, understanding the way he felt.

"Erza…I'm very sorry. I know how much I've hurt you in the past. Although I can't remember it, I know I must have been very bad to you if I had made you cry. So I'll take this as my punishment for that and for every other thing bad thing I've done in the past. So Erza…Natsu…thank you for believing in me and…sorry for hurting you guys. Sayonara…" Jellal smiled as the Captain covered his head with a cloth and a curtain was pulled across the crowd's view of Jellal.

Erza turned her tear-streaked face away from the death scene of her childhood friend. She hid her face on his shoulder and whispered a plea for Natsu to hold her. His arm circled her waist as he hugged her. Just before the trap door from under Jellal's feet was opened, Erza and Natsu heard his voice.

"Please take care of her Natsu…Don't let her cry anymore…"

Then, there was a loud creak and they knew that Jellal was dead. Natsu looked at usually string girl, now weeping uncontrollably of his shoulder and he held her tighter.

"I will, I promise," Natsu whispered to the silent wind.

The crowd began to disperse until only Erza and Natsu were standing in the middle of the courtyard. Makarov stood by the door, watching them, knowing that there was nothing he could do to ease the pain of his guild members, his children. Makarov walked slowly towards Natsu and patted his leg trying to tell him, without words, to take care of Erza.

Natsu looked down at Master Makarov. Master Makarov smiled and walked back into the room to wait for the two of them.

Erza tired herself out as she cried her sadness out of her lost love. Soon, she fell asleep on Natsu's shoulder.

'Erza?' he thought as her sobbing quietened but she still did not move.

He looked at her, only to find that she fell asleep.

'What am I supposed to do now?' he thought.

Just then, Makarov came back into the courtyard, calling for him.

"Natsu, we have to go. It's already night. Bring Erza to the inn outside. I'll talk to Bob and come there soon," Makarov informed him.

"But how, Jii-chan? She's sleeping" Natsu asked, softly.

"Erza's sleeping?" Master raised his eyebrow and answered him, "That's new. Why don't you carry her? Won't you love that?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Of course I won't love it," Natsu protested.

Master just smiled and walked away.

'What is he thinking?' Natsu thought to himself as he carried Erza out of the Magic Council, bridal style, and into the inn beside it.

**~In the Inn~**

Natsu carried Erza into the room and laid her on the bed. Then he sat on the bed and waited for Master to come back. Two hours later and Master was not back and he felt very sleepy. So, Natsu just stretched out on the bed and fell asleep quickly, leaving the couch for Master.

Erza moved slightly closer to Natsu and whispered "thanks" before she fell back into her slumber.

**~The next day~**

Master's voice woke the both of them in the morning.

"Natsu, Erza are you ready to go back to the guild?" Makarov shouted from outside the room.

Natsu yawned, turning around only to find Erza's sleeping face just mere centimetres away from his. Blood rose to his cheeks. Suddenly, Erza stirred her eyes open, looking at Natsu. Natsu's blush grew deeper in shade. Erza blushed too, immediately jolting up. Natsu sat up quickly and looked away.

"I-I-I was uh-uh –" Natsu stammered an explanation but Master Makarov interrupted them.

"Erza, Natsu are you ready?" Makarov shouted again.

"Give us a few minutes to freshen up," Erza turned her attention to Master.

Then she turned to Natsu, "Good morning," then she walked into the washroom.

Natsu sighed in relief and waited for Erza to come out.

**~An hour later~**

Master Makarov had entered the room and sat on the couch just as Natsu came out of the washroom.

"Are you two ready to go back to the guild?" Master asked them.

"Yes, thank you for bringing me to be with him in his last few hours, Master," Erza thanked him as Natsu muttered something about going back to the guild to eat.

"Don't worry about it, let's go," Makarov told her as they walked towards the train station.

On the entire trip to the guild, neither Erza nor Natsu spoke. Both of them were deeply in thought; one about her dead friend and the other about his love.

_Natsu's P.O.V_

'_Maybe I should confess to her….NO, NO, NO, I would get punched on my face! But if I don't, I won't know. I should! No I shouldn't! NO! I must! But isn't it too soon? Ah…what should I do?'_

"_Natsu," Erza called me._

_I looked up at her, "What?"_

"_What are you thinking about?" Erza asked._

"_H-hah!" I panicked, "N-nothing really."_

"_You seemed like you were deep in thought. You are not having motion sickness too," she said._

"_Uh…why did you remind me?" I asked her before dropping to the floor._

"_Come here," Erza told me to lie down on her lap._

_P.O.V ENDS_

Erza laid Natsu on her lap and stroked his hair. Natsu became more and more sleepy. Soon he fell asleep. Erza smiled softly and continued to stroke his hair.

"Erza, we're here," Master told them.

Erza woke Natsu up and they all started walking to the guild. Natsu trailed behind Master and Erza, which was definitely unusual about him.

"Natsu, are you alright?" she asked, slowing down to match Natsu's pace.

"Yeah, can I tell you something?" he asked Erza, pulling her away from Master, who was going on about woman and beer.

"What is it, Natsu?" Erza asked, following Natsu.

She, herself, was kind of disgusted by Master's rant.

"I know it's still too early for you but I have to tell you," he stopped walking and looked at her.

Erza stared at him, still unsure of what he wanted to tell her.

"I don't know how to tell you this but I like you…a lot," Natsu confessed to her.

Erza stared blankly at him, "You like me?"

"Yes but I know you still like Jellal and all but I just needed you to know it. It's fine if you don't accept me," Natsu told her.

"I'm sorry but I can't return your feelings now…but we could try," Erza replied to him.

"Oh, okay," Natsu said as he started walking away from her, not understanding what she meant.

"Natsu, did you understand what I said?" Erza smiled as she called after him.

Natsu turned around to face her with a depressed aura around him.

"I meant, I don't feel the same way yet, but we could try it out," Erza smiled at him.

"Huh?" Natsu asked her confused.

"Geez, you're so dumb," Erza glared at him.

"Why?" he whined and became even more depressed.

Erza sighed and walked towards Natsu and pulled him into a hug.

"I'll be your girlfriend, Natsu" Erza smiled, faintly hugging him tightly.

"But don't you still have feeling for Jellal?" Natsu asked, not wanting to return the hug or hope for too much.

"This relationship will keep me from thinking of Jellal," Erza stated.

"So I'm just a feeling-keep-away?" Natsu asked, his voice hinting sadness as he pushed Erza away.

Erza frowned, "You don't want me to be in a relationship with you?"

"I-it's not that, Erza. I just don't want to be a replacement or something to him," Natsu looked away as he said this.

"You're not. What I meant was that you'll help me move on from him and his death," Erza smiled at Natsu.

"Oh, ok. Now let's go and tell Gray," Natsu smiled and started to run towards the guild.

"Natsu! The guild doesn't need to know yet, okay?" Erza grabbed him back by his scarf.

"Uh, okay," Natsu smiled sheepishly.

"Come on let's go before they get worried. We'll tell them when I think it's okay to tell them," Erza smiled at him.

"Okay," Natsu smiled at his girlfriend.

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><p>I know the characters are a bit OOC but i tried to keep it in character XD<p>

Review! XD


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